
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville that don't require a college degree
Highest-paying jobs in Gainesville that don't require a college degree
From the moment they arrive on campus, today’s high school students are inundated with messages about the importance of receiving a college education. They hear it from their guidance counselors, teachers, parents, family members, neighbors, and coaches. While graduation from a four-year college can certainly work wonders for students’ future careers, it’s not necessary for all fields — something admissions officers and guidance counselors sometimes fail to mention.
To find the highest paying jobs that don’t require a college degree, Stacker consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to compile a list of all jobs that don’t require higher education. All professions that listed a high school diploma, some college education (without a degree conferred), postsecondary nondegree award, or no formal education requirements for entry-level positions were considered. Jobs that didn’t list any entry-level education requirement were excluded, as were job titles that grouped several positions together. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
Keep reading to discover the highest paying jobs in Gainesville, FL that don’t require a college degree.
You may also like: Most common jobs in Gainesville

#50. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,690
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,890
- Employment: 1,143,260
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($57,830)
--- Boulder, CO ($56,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,930)
#49. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $43,760
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,990
- Employment: 629,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($62,810)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($62,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($61,350)
#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Annual mean salary: $43,780
- #287 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,560
- Employment: 149,290
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,600)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,240)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($60,930)
#47. Community health workers
- Annual mean salary: $43,970
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $47,780
- Employment: 61,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($65,530)
--- Bend-Redmond, OR ($61,820)

#46. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Annual mean salary: $43,980
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,810
- Employment: 551,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Odessa, TX ($70,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($66,260)
--- Bismarck, ND ($64,940)
You may also like: Where people in Gainesville are moving to most

#45. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Annual mean salary: $44,250
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,310
- Employment: 44,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#44. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Annual mean salary: $44,870
- #457 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,280
- Employment: 145,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

#43. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Annual mean salary: $45,120
- #434 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- Employment: 367,200
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($74,970)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($71,160)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($67,140)

#42. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Annual mean salary: $45,510
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,690
- Employment: 356,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,020)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($76,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,710)

#41. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Annual mean salary: $45,750
- #510 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- Employment: 373,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)
You may also like: Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor

#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Annual mean salary: $45,960
- #442 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,350
- Employment: 417,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,580)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($89,500)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,190)

#39. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Annual mean salary: $45,990
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- Employment: 55,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#38. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $46,280
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,540
- Employment: 155,250
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,320)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($77,210)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($72,760)

#37. Electricians
- Annual mean salary: $46,670
- #470 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,310
- Employment: 650,580
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($91,090)
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($86,600)

#36. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $47,180
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- Employment: 116,380
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Madera, CA ($76,040)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($74,800)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($73,360)
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor
#35. Massage therapists
- Annual mean salary: $47,730
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $49,260
- Employment: 81,030
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($96,260)
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($74,980)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($74,850)
#34. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Annual mean salary: $47,760
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- Employment: 51,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)
#33. Crossing guards and flaggers
- Annual mean salary: $48,130
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,670
- Employment: 82,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,540)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($55,860)
--- Bellingham, WA ($54,870)

#32. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Annual mean salary: $48,510
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- Employment: 121,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)

#31. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Annual mean salary: $49,420
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,010
- Employment: 112,130
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Huntsville, AL ($55,830)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,260)
--- Wausau, WI ($55,060)
You may also like: Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor

#30. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Annual mean salary: $49,450
- #411 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- Employment: 172,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($88,140)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($84,690)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($80,570)

#29. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Annual mean salary: $49,680
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,750
- Employment: 54,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($114,400)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,220)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($112,950)

#28. Computer user support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $50,070
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- Employment: 654,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($90,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,920)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,510)
#27. Automotive body and related repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,280
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- Employment: 137,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)

#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,020
- Employment: 261,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($73,400)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($70,480)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Gainesville in the last week

#25. Postal service clerks
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,210
- Employment: 79,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Houma-Thibodaux, LA ($59,410)
--- Florence, SC ($59,360)
--- Monroe, MI ($59,320)
#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Annual mean salary: $53,280
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,870
- Employment: 466,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

#23. Postal service mail carriers
- Annual mean salary: $53,410
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,370
- Employment: 335,540
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Modesto, CA ($57,160)
--- Bismarck, ND ($57,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,820)

#22. Advertising sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- Employment: 96,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)
#21. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 950
National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 641,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($76,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,410)
You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor

#20. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Annual mean salary: $55,500
- #410 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,026,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($101,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)

#19. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $55,830
- #334 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,340
- Employment: 422,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)
#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Annual mean salary: $57,420
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,320
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,380
- Employment: 1,443,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

#17. Chefs and head cooks
- Annual mean salary: $58,430
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- Employment: 129,810
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($79,430)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- #466 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 650
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,060
- Employment: 665,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)
You may also like: Highest-rated Asian restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor

#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Annual mean salary: $60,020
- #427 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,330
- Employment: 629,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($90,410)

#14. Construction and building inspectors
- Annual mean salary: $60,170
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,480
- Employment: 117,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($121,510)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

#13. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,040
- #497 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420
National
- Annual mean salary: $73,590
- Employment: 526,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

#12. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Annual mean salary: $61,890
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,030
- Employment: 234,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,610)

#11. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Annual mean salary: $62,450
- #390 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- Employment: 1,242,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)
You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor

#10. Food service managers
- Annual mean salary: $63,850
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 210,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#9. Lodging managers
- Annual mean salary: $64,380
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $64,570
- #348 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- Employment: 123,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)

#7. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Annual mean salary: $67,940
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $83,270
- Employment: 80,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $90,370
- Employment: 107,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Gainesville

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Annual mean salary: $69,880
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,960
- Employment: 278,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
--- Salinas, CA ($90,800)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $76,880
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)
#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Annual mean salary: $79,110
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)
#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Annual mean salary: $92,460
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#1. Commercial pilots
- Annual mean salary: $93,520
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $115,080
- Employment: 42,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)
You may also like: Highest-rated Mexican restaurants in Gainesville, according to Tripadvisor